London Assembly publish snow report

London could have recovered faster from last month’s snow storms had coordination between boroughs, Transport for London and the emergency services been better, a new report from the London Assembly finds.

The Assembly’s Transport Committee questioned key figures from TfL and the boroughs over the heavy snow falls on 1st and 2nd February which left the capital’s bus fleet stranded and caused widespread disruption.

Transport Committee Chair Val Shawcross AM says “the response by some key agencies in London was a little slow to get off the ground.”

Assembly Members were told by London Ambulance officials that “some requests” for local authorities to clear routes around ambulance stations were turned down.

Shawcross said: “Questions must be asked about how the response was led, including whether the Mayor, as Chair of TfL, could have been given the opportunity to be involved at an earlier stage.”

The report can be downloaded from the GLA website and will be considered for formal agreement by the Transport Committee on 10 March 2009.